Neil Hooper, board creative director, Circle Agency
How well did your business perform in 2013? What was the most successful event you worked on?
"2013 has been one of the best years in Circle Agency’s history with a host of new client wins and game-changing projects. We’ve welcomed on board O2, Manchester City FC, Maxinutrition, Stubhub, Celebrity Cruises and Playstation, building our knowledge and experience in the gaming, leisure and fitness sectors. A stand-out project includes the year-long partnership we brokered between O2 and Bluewater. This has seen us activate at key retail times throughout the year, with free wi-fi for shoppers and media and advertising space across the centre. It was a completely new approach for O2 and something which has worked incredibly well."
What plans do you have for events, your clients and the business in 2014?
"Next year marks Circle Agency’s ten-year anniversary and it already looks like it will be a fantastic year. We have already made strategic senior appointments, with more to come in January, who will help us to continue to grow the agency. New business is always important and we already have some major pitches out at the moment, which would be the perfect start to our tenth year."
What do you think we can expect from the event industry next year?
"Loyalty is the new micro economy - people want more, they want to be rewarded for their allegiance to a brand. Models as simple as the traditional loyalty programmes such as the Nectar card are good examples, but the experiential industry needs to find ways to bring this alive in their experiences. Contextual integration is also going to be important, there has been a tendency in the past for a ‘one size fits all approach’, but consumers are getting more savvy and will only engage if it’s on their terms."
Neil MacLaurin, managing director of Keith Prowse
What has the last 12 months meant to the event industry?
"I believe the 2013 calendar year saw innovation and investment into the hospitality/event industry, with a particular focus on event management and people. Everyone who experienced the Olympic effect has taken those findings into the wider market with far more emphasis on the customer journey."
How well did your business perform in 2013? What was the most successful event you worked on?
"2013 was an excellent year for our business with growth of 24% year-on-year. This was boosted by the Ashes series in the summer but, most encouragingly, our annual events such as Wimbledon, Twickenham and Cheltenham outperformed 2012. Our industry is a good barometer of the overall economy and there are signs that confidence is returning, particularly for SMEs."
What plans do you have for events, your clients and the business in 2014?
"Keith Prowse has just been granted the official hospitality contract for the Aegon Championships, which takes place 9-15 June 2014 at The Queen’s Club in London. We were awarded the contract by the Lawn Tennis Association for our bold vision to totally reinvent the product offering and experience for hospitality customers at the event. We are also planning significant investment in digital technology for our business. This will allow customers to interact with us in the way that’s convenient to them."
Jon Robinson, MCC assistant secretary (commercial), Lord’s Cricket Ground
How well did your business perform in 2013? What was the most successful event you worked on?
"We’ve had a great year – particularly in terms of hospitality. A total of 8,742 hospitality packages were sold at Lord’s during major matches over the summer of 2013. The Investec Ashes Test Match between England and Australia was definitely a highlight - more than 10,000 people enjoyed hospitality throughout the match, including the bespoke Ashes Club Premium Package. We are delighted that our hospitality restructure has been met with such a warm welcome, particularly as this was the first year that hospitality has been run entirely in-house."
What plans do you have for events, your clients and the business in 2014?
"Next year is looking to be a really exciting one for Lord’s because it will be our bicentennial year. We will be celebrating the Ground’s 200th anniversary throughout 2014 with a number of exciting events and partnerships, including gala dinners, two MCC versus the Rest of the World matches and inviting the general public to enjoy some of the exclusive areas of Lord’s which are usually reserved for players and MCC Members."
What are your thoughts on the event industry in 2013/14? Share your thoughts and your own highlights with us by commenting below.For more in-depth and print-only features, showcases and interviews with world-leading brands, don't miss the next issue of Event magazine .